be delivered to the Iewes but now is my Kingdom not from hence Pilate therefore saide vnto him Art thou a Kinge then Iesus answered Thou sayeest that I am a King To this ende was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse vnto the Truth Euery one that is of the Truth heareth my voice THAT which S. Paul saith of all holy Scripture 2. Tim. 3.15 can not but be verified in this that it is giueÌ„ by inspiratioÌ„ of God and is proffitable for doctrine for reproefe for correction for instruction in righteousnes That the man of God may be perfect because in saying that Iesus Christ witnessed a GOOD confession before Pontius Pilate 1. Tim. 5.6.13 he must needes haue respect to this here prefixed for there is noe other mencioned by all the other Euangelist saue this that when Pilate asked him Art thou the Kinge of the Iewes he answered him Thou saist it Which is comprehended in this confession recorded by S. Iohn for theese words of our Sauiour Christ spokeÌ„ in the morning of his PassioÌ„ vnto Pilate sitting in the iugemeÌ„t hall are an answer to that questioÌ„ asked by Pilate in the forgoeing vers Ioh. 18.13 Art thou the King of the Iewes to which questioÌ„ Christ answers first by a question neither plainely affirming himselfe to be the King of the Iewes least beeing misâ—enderstood of the worldly Kingdom he should offer them some shew of cause of putting him to death because that Kingdom was accounted CÄ™sars nor yet denying the truth but rather confessing and implying himselfe to be a King saying Sayest thou this thing of thy selfe or did others tell it thee of me vers 34. As if he saide Doest thou thy selfe imagin it doest thou thinke it or haue others told it to thee that I am a King or haue made my selfe one that thou askest me this question either as thinking me to be King of the Iewes or seeking to haue wherewithall to condemne me doest thou aske this question of thy selfe to get matter out of my owne mouth against me as the high Preist did Vers 35. or did others tell it thee of mee At which manner of speaking Pilate somwhat offended answered Am I a Iew that is either in opinion and religion as some are who thinke thee to be the King of the Iewes Math. 27.17 and their expected King or Messiah as he saith who is called Christ and whom yee call King of the Iewes or in mallice as others are who beeing of a contrarie faith hate thee and seek thy life because thou art thought to be that King and better then themselues they therfore make it matter of accusation I though a Gentile and Cesars Deputie haue not sought out this thinge nor thee to finde matter against thee Ioh. 18.35 but thine owne natioÌ„ the cheifs Preists haue deliuered thee vnto me As if he saide The enuie is not mine but theires for he know that for enuie they had deliuered him Mat. 27.18 Yet to satiffie them in examining him he addeth What hast thou donne as if he saide to make thy selfe King of the Iewes and thereby an offendour against Cesar To which Iesus then answered more directly and plainely saying My Kingdom is not of this world if my Kingdom were c. The causes of this Confession THE causes that both moued Pilate to examin him vpon this point and Christ to make this answer were the invectiue exclamations and accusatioÌ„s of his obstinate enemies the Iewes who saide Wee found this fellow peruerting the nation and forbidding to giue tribute to Cesar saying that he himselfe is Christ a King They here accuse him of three things 1. They say they found him peruerting the nation 2. Forbidding to giue tribute to Cesar 3. Saying that himselfe is Christ a King Or if you will they accuse him of perverting the nation which they would seeme to proue by theese two that he forbiddeth to giue tribute to Cesar and that he saith that himselfe is Christ a King That of the tribute was a most false accusation and only a charging of him with that which they would haue had him to say not with that which he did say for when they fauninglie applauded his integritie and the truth of his doctrine then they saide Tell vs therfore what thinkest thou Mat. 22 16. Is it lawfull to giue tribute vnto Cesar or not But he perceiuing theire wickednes saide Why tempt ye me ye hypocrits Ye that pretend that ye thinke me true and that I teach the way of God in truth that in respect of it I care not for any man nor regard the person of man so as for mans sake to bauke or wrest the truth of God A thing indeed as odious wicked and detestable as theire dissembling who doe not now speake lies in hypocrisie but truth in hypocrisie for what they saide of Christ was noe lie he was true taught the way fo God in truth and in respect thereof cared not for any man but was indeed Doctor resolutus and therein a perfect patterne for all his Elect to imitate as besides oâ—her times appeared now in his confession first before the high Preist and after before Pilate where he would speake the tâ—uth though he knew it would cost him his life and yet as they speake these words they are lies yea they are also lies spoken in hypocrisie because they doe not speake the truth that is in theire heart they doe not thinke as they speake but speake against their seared consciences which will needes be perswaded notwithstanding all good proefes of life myracles and doctrine that he is a deceiuer or if some of them were thereby conuicted in their consciences that he was true c. yet they enuie and hate him for these things there is noe loue noe desire to learne or be informed but rather to catch and ensnare and soe noe truth but trocherie in theese their speeches and euen in that respect they are Hipocrits and Liars conuicted for examples to vs and that by Christ himselfe who at the generall day will thus iudge of all that speake well to an ill ende He asketh to see the tribute money they shew him he asketh whose Image and superscription it is They say vnto him Cesars Mâ—t. 22. Then saith he vnto them giue vnto Cesar the things that are Cesars * Caesari nummos Deo vosipsos Aug. in Ioan Tract 40. and vnto God the things that are Gods This is not to forbid tribute to Cesar they could proue noe such thinge out of theese words Pilate hâ—mselfe that heard all they could suggest cleares him hereof while after examination he saith I finde noe fault in this man They therefore knowing they could not pâ—oue it directly goe about in thâ—s theire accusation to proue it indirectly and by consequence saying Wee found this fellow peruerting the nation and forbidding to giue tribute to Cesar saying
thy Name Ioh. 12.28 Then came here a voice from heauen saying I haâ—e glorifie bit and will glorifie it again He had glorified the word which is also the Fathers Name because it is his word when so greate myracles were denne by it and so many conueâ—ted thereby and so it was glorified againe after his death by the miâ—istrie of his Apostles and others to the healing of many and the conuersion of millions of people Lastly at his transfiguration on the mount Mat. 17.5 beholdâ— a voice out of the cloude which saide This is my beloued Sonne in whome I â—m well pleased heare ye him As if he saide for he is the promised woâ—d To his Apostles which heard him were witnesses of his resurrection he gaue commissioÌ„ to preach to all nations and so his myracles Heb. 2.3.4 life doctrine and resurrection were confirmed to â—s by them that heard him who also sealed the Truth of all with theire bloods God also bearing them witnes both with signes and wonders and with diuers myracles and gifts of the holy Ghost As the heaâ—ing of a man lame from his mothers wombe and many others manifested to his and theiâ—e aduersaries All which proued that Iesus was as he taught the word and that word the Sonne the Messiah which was to come and that he did not blaspheme when he câ—â—fest as much to the high Priest Mat. 26.69 For this yet doe they pâ—esently spit in his fâ—ce buffet hâ—m smite reuile him and leade him a â—ay to Pilate to be for this only thinge put to death this beeing all they could proue or he finde and that not that he made himselfe a temporall Kinge but spiritual for when he vâ—ged him with theese words Art thou the King of the Iewes what hast thou donne Iesus answered my Kingdom is not of this world if my Kingdom were of this world c. and when Pilate gathering by theese words that he confest himselfe to be a King therefore saide vnto him Art thou a Kinge then Iesus answered thou sâ—iest that I am a Kinge As if he saide and I must not denie it for to this ende was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse vnto the truth euery one that is of the truth heareth my voice This then beeing his plaine answer concerning his Kingdom and the true subjects thereof wee may consider in this confession theese things 1. A KingdoÌ„ acknowledged in theese words my Kingdom which are thrice repeated in the former of theese verses 2. That this Kingdom is not of this world as he saith my Kingdâ—â— is not of this world â— A proofe or reason thereof in theese words for if my Kingdom were of this world then would my subiects fight that I should not be deliâ—ered to the Iewes 4 A conclusion following from the premises in theese words but now is my Kingdom not from hence In the first there is the Kingdom of the Messiah and that claimed by out Sauiour who here calleth it his as he saith my Kingdom First then wee will endeauour to finde out of the old Testament what the Kingdom of the Messiah was to be whether spirituall or temporall and where the seate thereof should be And secondly whether this Kingdom properly belonge to Iesus the Sonne of Marie who claimes it while he confesseth himselfe to be the Christ and saith my Kingdom Where first ye know it is already manifested The Kingdom of the Messiah that the Mâ—ssiah was to be the Word and that therefore his Kingdom and gouernment must needes be spirituall ruling mens soules for God his Fatheâ— as was proued from tho second Psalme where indeed the Father also calleth him his Kinge that is one ruling for him saying I haue set my Kinge vpon my holy hill of Sion psa 2. Isa 40.10 where also while he saith my holy hill of Sion he sheweth it to be his Kingdom So of the Father it is saide His Arme that is his word shall rale for him It is his Kingdom for the Kingdom is the Lords and he is the Gouerno or of his people Therefore it is added vers 11. He shall feede hâ—s flocke like a Shepheard he shall gather the Lambes with his Arme to shew that Christ succeedes Dauid as a Shepheard of the people feeding theÌ„ with the spirituall foode of the word Fzech 34.23 chap. 37.21.24 and so ruleth in his throne spiritually He shoul be theire Shepheard â—zek 34.23 and Chap. 2â— 22.24 So Dauid saith The Lord saide vnto my Lord sit thou on my right hand that is rule thou for me vntil I make hâ—â—â— enemies thy footestoole psa 110.1 Thereby intimating that all enemâ—es of the word shall be either subiected to the word or confounded thereby Therefore it is added vers 2. The Lord shall seâ—de the Râ—d of thy strength viz. the Word out of Zionâ— to this word therefore he there speaketh saying Rule thou in the middest of thine eâ—emâ—es Isa 2. Mic. 4. aâ—cording to that of the Prophets Isaiah and Micah Thâ— Lâ—â—â— shall gâ—efoorâ—h of Sion anâ— the word of the Lord out of Hierâ—sâ—em Aâ—d he shall iudge â—monge the Nations He the word shall as the Father saith Miâ—e Arme thaâ— is my Word shal iudge the people From which places wee may see that this Kingdom was to begin to be preached in Sion and Ierusalem vnto it was the Kingdom and dominion first to comâ— Mica 4.8 and thence to goe Foorth into all the World haâ—eâ—ng noe other certaine seate then there wheresoeuer the Word should enlighten and rule the Soules of men Isa 42.6 therefore the Lord saith to him I will giue thee for a couenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles to vpâ—n the blinde eyes c. Isa 55.3.4 And in another place I will make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the suâ—e Mercies of Dauid Behold I haue giuen hiâ— viz. the Word or couenant For a witnesse to the people a leader and a commaunder to the people Viz. a spirituall leader therefore he saith to him in the following words vers 5. Behoâ—d thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not and nations that knew not thee shall runne vnto thee because of the Lord thy God and for the holy one of Israel for he hath glorified thee this then is the gloâ—ie that he giâ—es the Messiah who is the Word that he should call nations to the knowledge and obedience of the Woâ—d therefore in this sense God saith to the Word in the second Psalme Psa 2.8.9 Ask of me and I will giue thee the heathen For thâ—ne inheritance and the vâ—termâ—st parts of the earth for thy posession the most remote nations shall come to the knowledge and obedience of thee or else as it is added Thou shalt bâ—eake them with a Rod of yron that is with thy owne power as he saith elsewhere with the Rod of thy
in such danger seeing that if Princes be Hereticall and persecute the godly theire Ministers must follow them and afflict and punish them or loose theire places for when those that cleaue to Gods Word and contend for it are examined they must confesse the truth though it cost them theire liues as our Sauiour here did for when Pilate saide Art thou then a Kinge Iesus answered thou saiest that I am a Kinge af if he saide and I can not I must not dâ—nie it For To this ende was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse vnto the truth That is indeede to confirme the Truth and euery clause of it whereof this of his Kingdom and office is one with his blood to witnes and seale the truth of it with his blood for though he knew that to confesse this would cost him his life yet he considers that to this ende he was borne and for this cause he came in the world that he should beare witnesse to it with his blood 1. Tim. 6.13 and therefore Saint Paul saith that he witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate Sealed as ye see with his blood Tolet. in Ioan. VXIII Vt veritatem Dei oftenderet regnum Dei manifestarer ac tyrannidem Diaboli dolos ejus detegeret to make his witnesse the more effectuall Seeing indeede he came into the world as Tolet saith that he might shew the truth of God and manifest the Kingdom of God and discouer the tiranie of the deuil and his deceits whereby he deceiueth men whether by his owne suggestions or by his Ministers the teachers and maintainers of idollatrie errours For to this purpose the Sonne viz. the Word the Truth of God was manifested that he might destroy the workes of the deuill He came to confound all theese in this that he came to beare witnesse vnto Gods Kingdom vnto Gods Truth whereby all theese are confounded and those also that liue as if they were borne to noe other ende and for noe other cause came into the world then to flatter daube and temporise with sinnes and errours or which is as bad frowardly to contest against the truth with sophisticated arguments praeuaricating shifts for that they might all be sure of it and repenting receiue and confesse the Truth in all things he heere inforceth the certaintie of it with a kinde of ingemination or reinforcing of his asseueration to the Soules of men as if they could neuer enough marke remember this point saying to this ende was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse vnto the Truth O thou eternall and almightie Sonne of God Heb. 1.2 by whome he made the worlds thou heyre of all things the brightnes of thy Fathers glorie and the expresse Image of his person thou that thoughtest it noe roberie to be held equall with God surely it was for some greate ende that thou wast borne of a Woman for some greate cause that thou camest in the World Lord let vs know it let vs heare it ô thou Kinge of Saints that wee neither despise nor slight and neglect it thou tellest vs with a witnesse and a deere witnesse it was to thee for thou sealest it with thy most pretious blood shed in the greatest paines the greatest sufferings that euer any felt in this world to see if yet wee will receiue the truth and the loue thereof 2. Thess 2.10.11 that wee may be saued and not be giuen ouer to beleeue a lye for this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the World that I should beare witnesse vnto the Truth Some man will say If it were to this ende that he came and thus sealed the truth what Christian is there that will not receiue the loue of the Truth that will not in all matters of faith and saluation heare his voice obey it and so receiue his testimonie I answer thou hearest him affirme it and reinforce it what then needes further witnes Luk. 19.10 for if thou say The Sonne of man came to seeke to saue that which was lost That is by shewing them Gods Truth and bearing witnesse to it and so loosing the prisnors bound and lost in the prison of sinne errour * Sedebas o homo in tenebrosis vmbra mortis per ignorantiam veritatis sedebas vinctus catenis delictorum Bernar. de ordine vitae Nos de Adam caeci nati sumus illo illuminate opus habemus Aug. in Ioan. trac 34. Act. 26.18 Mar. 10.46 Gal. 4.4 and ignorance Ioh. 12.48 He came a light into the world that whosoeuer beleeueth on him should not abide in darkenesse but should haue the light of life to make them children of the light God sent him for a light of the Gentiles Isa 42. but that was to open theire eyes and to turne them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance amonge them which are sanctified through faith that is in him Not otherwise The Sonne of man came to minister and giue his life a ransom for many but that was to minister the Word and to witnesse that his death was a ransom for many to seale that truth in his blood God sent his Sonne made of a Woman to redeeme them that were vnder the Law and thereby Seruants obnoxious to sinne death that they might receiue the adoption of sonnes but that is by receiuing the Word the Truth who to as many as receiue him Ioh. 1.12 giueth power to become the Sonnes of God euen to them that beleene on his Name viz. on the Word by letting them * Chap. 8.32.34.36 Character of a Christian pag. 325. c. know the Truth that the truth might make them free and free indeede from sinne Satan errours snaring scruples c. There is noe true freedom but what the Truth giueth and it must needes be true if the Truth giue it As he there saith If the Sonne therefore shall make you free Ye shall be free indeede Thereby shewing himselfe to be the Truth as Augustine proueth on Ioh. 17.17 Sanctifie them in thy Truth thy Word is Truth August in 10. trac 108. To this Truth he bare witnesse and this Truth freeth beeing beleeued knowne and receiued with loue So was it with the Corinthians who beeing inriched in all knowledge Paul saith the testimonie of Christ was confirmed in them 1. Cor. 1.6 which that wee might so receiue and obey in all that it teacheth and euery part of it he bare witnesse to it with his blood Which therefore indeede is called the blood of the Testament sealed confirmed and dedicated in blood Heb. 9.18.19 Wherevpon neither was the first Testament dedicated without blood For when Moses had spoken euery precept he tooke the blood of Calues and sprinckled both the booke and the